Military - Overview
The Museum's superb military collections document the history of the men and women of the armed forces of the United States. The collections include ordnance, firearms, and swords; uniforms and insignia; national and military flags and banners; and many other objects.
The strength of the collections lies in their enormous depth. Some 3,000 military small arms and 2,400 civilian firearms document the mechanical and technological history of the infantryman's weapons from the beginning of the gunpowder era to the present. Among the 4,000 swords and knives in the collection are many spectacular presentation pieces. The collections also include Civil War era telegraph equipment, home front artifacts from both world wars, early computers such as ENIAC, Whirlwind, and Sage, and materials carried at antiwar demonstrations.
"Military - Overview" showing 74 items.
Page 8 of 8
Warrior Killing a Soldier
- Description
- Unknown artist, about 1894
- “Cheyenne Picture. Warrior Killing a Soldier.”
- Ink and watercolor
- This drawing shows the victory of a Cheyenne warrior over a U.S. Army soldier. The artist depicts the warrior counting coup on his enemy by touching the fallen soldier with his riding whip (quirt). Counting coup - in this instance touching an adversary in battle - was considered an act of bravery that could gain war honors. This single event took place during a larger battle against many adversaries, as indicated by the large number of rifles at the left.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- ca 1875
- date made
- ca 1894
- original artist
- unknown
- ID Number
- GA*08111
- accession number
- 1897.031963
- catalog number
- GA*08111
- accession number
- 1897.31963
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Cheyenne Pictures. Warrior Killing a Soldier
- Description
- Unknown artist, about 1894
- “Cheyenne Pictures. Standing Elk’s Horse Killed in Fight with Troops.”
- Pencil, ink, and watercolor
- The central focus of this image is a wounded horse, bleeding from head and rump, being fired on by U.S. troops at the right. Standing Elk, with his name glyph above him, has dismounted and appears to be safe from the rifle shots. The suggestion of concern by the warrior indicates the high value placed on horses by Plains tribesmen.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1894
- original artist
- unknown
- ID Number
- GA*08112
- catalog number
- GA*08112
- accession number
- 1897.031963
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Cheyenne Pictures. 'High Wolf' kills a Shoshone or Snake Indian.
- Description
- Unknown artist, about 1894
- “Cheyenne Pictures. High Wolf Kills a Shoshonee or Snake Indian.”
- Pencil, colored pencil, ink and watercolor
- This drawing shows a mounted warrior with a name glyph - a symbol for the personal name “High Wolf” - riding victoriously over a fallen Snake (Shoshone) warrior, identified by his shield. The artist depicts High Wolf counting coup on his enemy by showing a riding whip (quirt) touching the shield of the fallen Shoshone warrior. Counting coup - in this instance touching an adversary in battle - was considered an act of bravery that could gain war honors.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1894
- original artist
- unknown
- ID Number
- GA*08113
- catalog number
- GA*08113
- accession number
- 1897.031963
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
- No Image Available
Everett H. Bickley Collection, 1919-1980 (bulk 1919-1965)
- Notes
- Bickley was one of the more active inventors of twentieth century. While his main and most portable invention was an automatic bean sorter, his other inventions were numerous and wide in scope. Examples are: a photographic exposure meter; fly killing device; dance charts; nut-cracking device; and outdoor electric sign
- Summary
- Correspondence, patents, drawings, manuals, trade literature, and photographs, particularly rich in information on Bickley's sorting devices. World War II innovations, and other inventions such as an exposure meter, dance charts, fly-killing device, and an outdoor electric sign known as the Motograph
- Spans much of the twenthieth century and is of value to researchers interested in product development, the patent application process, product marketing and promotion, World War II innovation, and the daily operation of a small, privately owned industry. General correspondence, patents and patent correspondence, drawings, manuals, trade literature, and photographs; also, several artifacts designed by Bickley, including a photographic exposure meter (Fotimer), a prototype slide mount (Color Tight Slide Mount), dance chart, and even a clipboard (Deskette)
- Cite as
- The Everett H. Bickley Collection, 1919-1980, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
- Date
- 1919
- 1919-1980
- bulk 1919-1965
- 20th century
- 1930-1950
- creator
- Bickley, Everett H. 1888- 1972
- donor
- Beyer, Audrey Bickley
- Subject
- Bickley Manufacturing Company
- H. J. Heinz Company
- Local number
- 1999.3022 (NMAH Acc.)
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH